Cigarette making device



- y 1942- H. F. RICHTER 2,281,861

CIGARETTE MAKING DEVICE Filed D90. 26, 1940 Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE MAKING DEVICE Herman F. Richter, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 26, 1940, Serial No. 371,647

3 Claims. (Cl. 131-75) This invention relates to a device for making cigarettes and more specifically pertains to improvements in the type of cigarette making device embodying a cigarette forming tube and a tamper extending into the tube relative to which the latter is reciprocable, and which assembly is applied to a tobacco container and is operable to effect charging of the tube with tobacco and to effect delivery of the tobacco from the. tube into a formed tubular wrapper.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby proper feeding of tobacco from the container into the forming tube will be facilitated and which will insure proper packing of the tobacco in the tube and its subsequent ejection into a formed tubular cigarette wrapper in such manner as to result in a finished cigarette of the hand-rolled type in which the tobacco content of the cigarette will be uniformly and snugly compacted throughout.

Another object is to provide a construction in the tamper whereby in its operation any possibility of excessive compacting of the tobacco in the tube and wrapper will be minimized, and which construction will also serve to facilitate ejection of tobacco from the cigarette forming tube back into the container on completion of the cigarette making operation.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried into efiect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a tobacco bag with a portion broken away showing the invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section of the cigarette maker employed in the construction depicted in Fig. 1, showing it detached;

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in section, partly in elevation, of the structure shown in Fig. 1 depicting the parts as disposed in the initial operation there in making a cigarette;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, depicting the parts as disposed immediately before efiecting completion of the cigarette;

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a metallic tobacco container showing the invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 7 is an end view and partial section as seen on the line l'| of Fig. 6 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a view in section, partly in elevation,

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of a fragmentary portion of a tobacco pouch showing the invention as applied;

Fig. 9 is a detail in perspective of the tip portion of the tamper.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates generally a combined guide ring and funnel and which ring is formed with a groove Ii! on its outer periphery with which the margin of an opening in a tobacco container to which the ring is to be applied is engaged; the ring A being positioned in the mouth of a tobacco bag B as shown in Fig. 1, in an opening formed in the end wall of a metallic container C as shown in Fig. 6, or in an opening formed in a wall of a pouch D as shown in Fig. 8. In either application of the device the ring A is positioned with a side thereof embodying a funnel l I extending interiorly of the container. Slidably extending through and carried by the ring A is a cigarette forming tube l2 which is adapted to be projected from the outer face of the ring A a distance slightly exceeding the length of a cigarette to be formed thereby; the inner end of the tube being provided with an out-turned marginal lip l3 arranged to abut the inner side of the ring 8 when the tube is extended so as to limit its outward movement relative to the ring.

The outer end of the tube [2 is closed by a removable cap which preferably comprises an elastic thimble M as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, but which may comprise a metallic spring arm l5 where the device is applied to a metallic container C; the arm l5 being connected to the end wall of the container C by a pivot IS on which the arm may be swung laterally as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 7.

A tamper I'l extends into the tube l2 from the inner end of the latter, which tamper in the constructions shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8 comprises a U-shaped length of wire one leg of which is afiixed to the ring A and the other leg of which extends into the inner end of the tube l2. Where the device is applied to a metallic container C the tamper may comprise a straight rod having one end afiixed to an end wall of the container as indicated at l8 in Fig. 6. In either event the outer end of the tamper terminates contiguous the outer end of the tube l2 when the latter is in its innermost position which is determined by the inner end of the tube [2 being brought against an abutment as afforded by the Ubend of the tamper shown in Fig. 2 or by the end wall of the container C as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to accomplish the purposes of the present invention the tip of the tamper is b1- furcated, it being formed with a pair of tapered prongs I9 which are spaced apart at their bases and diverge outwardly relative to each other in continuation of a spirally contoured end portion 20 with which the tamper is formed. The tamper thus terminates at its outer free end in a two pronged bit or auger. A blunt wall 2| extends transversely between the bases of the prongs l9 and constitutes a tamping element which is com bined with the bit.

The leg or stem portion of the tamper extending into the tube I 2 is disposed axially thereof and is of such small diameter as to afford ample clearance between it and the inner periphery of the tube to permit the free passage of flake tobacco through the tube.

In the operation of the invention the tube I2 is initially withdrawn from the tobacco container to its extended position and a cigarette paper is wrapped therearound to form the cigarette tube E; the outer free edge of the paper being moistened as by the tongue and adhered to the underlying portion of the paper in the customary manner and the outer end of the formed paper tube being closed by twisting thereof as indicated at 22. The tobacco container is then inverted and the paper tube is then advanced outwardly on the tube a distance to nearly effect its removal therefrom whereupon the overlapping end portion of the paper tube and the tube I2 is gripped by the thumb and finger. The tube !2 is then repeatedly reciprocated by first retracting it into the container as indicated in Fig. 5 and then withdrawing it therefrom which movement of the tube will cause flaked tobacco to enter the inner end of the tube and pass downwardly through it into the paper tube E. During the upward or retracted stroke of the tube 12 such tobacco as will be positioned in front of the tip of the tamper will be forcibly ejected by the latter into the paper tube and will be slightly compacted in the tube by action of the tamper. In thus manipulating the tube I2 to fill the cigarette wrapper it is desirable to impart an oscillatory turning movement to the tube so that the tobacco content of the tube will be subjected to a plowing action by the bit on the end of the tamper which will serve to insure uniform distribution of the tobacco into the cigarette on the upstroke of the tube, while on the downstroke of the tube the spiral formation of the bit of the tamper will have an auger-like action which will facilitate feeding of tobacco downwardly through the tube. In this fashion repeated operations will effect filling of the cigarette wrapper which may then be removed from the tube. The container is then inverted to restore it to its substantially upright position whereupon the then extended tobacco filled tube is worked back into the package by imposing longitudinal pressure thereon and at the same time imparting a rotary motion such that the bit on the tamper will act to loosen the compacted tobacco within the outer end portion of the tube and cause it to feed past the tamper back into the container.

It will now be seen that by fitting the tamper with a terminal bit or auger the making of a properly packed cigarette will be greatly facilitated, as will be the return of the extruded cigarette forming tube l 2 to its housed position in the container.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cigarette making device, a guide ring, a reciprocable tube extending through and slidably carried by said ring, a tamper fixed relative to said ring extending axially of said tube, a bit carried on the outer end of said tamper comprising a pair of outwardly diverging prongs, and a blunt tamping wall extending transversely between the bases of said prongs.

2. In a cigarette making device, a guide ring, a reciprocable tube extending through and slidably carried by said ring, a tamper fixed relative to said ring extending axially of said tube, a bit carried on the outer end of said tamper comprising a pair of outwardly diverging prongs, said prongs and the outer end portion of said tamper being contoured to extend on a spiral, and a blunt tamping wall extending transversely between the bases of said prongs.

3. In a cigarette making device, a ring, a cigarette forming tube extending through and slidably carried by said ring, a U-shaped wire tamper having one leg thereof affixed to said ring and having its other legfreely extending into said tube axially thereof, and a pronged bit on the free end of said tamper embodying a blunt end wall between the prongs thereof.

HERMAN F. RICHTER. 

